milk and more... throughout the school day

milk and more... throughout the school day

...when your child starts primary school Eating well is important throughout the school day, and making milk part of that healthy routine is a great start to your child s time at school. Many schools provide breaktime milk through the EU School Milk scheme. Parents make a contribution towards the cost; this varies from area to area but, on average, a third pint bottle or 189ml carton of milk costs less than 13p a day... fantastic value when you consider the benefits: A carton of school milk has calcium, which is important for healthy bones... the third pint will provide around half of a five-yearold child's daily calcium needs. Milk is a safe breaktime choice for children s teeth... milk and water are the only drinks recommended by dentists for between meals. Breaktime milk can help beat thirst and keep children well hydrated... ask at your child s new school about how he or she can receive breaktime milk. head first for milk Mid-morning milk is also a good source of protein and vitamin B12... and contains other important nutrients including vitamin B2, phosphorus and potassium. Find out more about good food throughout the school day...

...start smart and keep energy levels up School mornings can be hectic but it s definitely worth making sure your child has time for breakfast. By breakfast time, most children won't have eaten for more than 10 hours so their bodies, and especially their brains, need refuelling. Breakfast can give children s daily nutrient needs a boost too; providing them with some of the important vitamins and minerals they need for good health. Tips for a healthy breakfast: 1 Wholegrain varieties of cereals and bread are the best for feeling fuller for longer and provide a slow release of energy. There s also some evidence that children who eat breakfast regularly are less likely to be overweight than those who don't. 2 Including some fruit at breakfast time (fresh, dried, tinned or fruit juice) gets children off to a good start toward their 5-a-day fruit and veg target. Not-so-smart starts!... one in ten primary school children skip breakfast. 3 Milk on cereal, in a smoothie or just as it comes will add extra protein, vitamins and minerals. Yogurt is a great choice too. fuel for school 4 An occasional Ulster fry can be part of a healthy balanced diet - just not too often!

...healthy snacking for healthy teeth Many primary schools now run healthy snacking schemes allowing only nutritious foods and drinks such as fruit and milk at breaktime. This is good news for children s diets in general, and for their teeth in particular. something to smile about That s because what children eat and drink between meals can have a big effect on their dental health. Every time children eat or drink something containing sugar, bacteria in plaque (the sticky coating on teeth) use the sugar as a fuel and produce acid as a waste product. Acid attacks the teeth. The more often teeth are exposed to acid, the greater the risk of decay. So dentists recommend keeping sugary food and drink mainly to meal times. Sweet enough already?... for tooth friendly between-meal snacks and drinks try: bread e.g. sandwiches or toast fruit small cubes of cheese vegetables e.g. pieces of raw carrot, tomato wedges sugar-free cereals unsweetened yogurt and fromage frais water and milk Erosion Sugar isn't the only issue for dental health. Acidic drinks such as fruit juice, squash and fizzy drinks (even diet ones) can also damage teeth by a process called erosion. As with sugary stuff, the best protection plan is to keep acidic drinks for mealtimes. Milk and water are the only drinks recommended by dentists for between meals. Did you know? Children in Northern Ireland experience some of the worst dental health in the UK. By the time they leave primary school, our children have twice the average level of decay.

have you heard?...milk is top of the class for nutrition As well as calcium, a carton of mid-morning milk provides lots of other essential nutrients including protein, potassium, iodine, phosphorus and B-vitamins. It s a powerful boost to meeting children s nutrient needs; a carton of school milk will provide more than half of a five-year-old child's calcium, phosphorus, iodine and vitamin B2 requirements and a third of their protein needs. Calcium : Vitamin B2 : helps build strong teeth and bones helps keep skin healthy Percentage (%) of a primary school child s nutrient needs* provided by a carton (189ml) of semi-skimmed milk: 4-6 year old 7-10 year old Vitamin B2 59 47 Vitamin B12 100+ 100+ Calcium 52 43 Phosphorus 52 41 Iodine 59 53 Potassium 28 15 Protein 34 24 *Reference Nutrient Intake Vitamin B12 : Potassium : Iodine : Phosphorus : Protein : helps make red blood cells needed for nerve function needed for children s growth used for energy release for growth and repair All the milk provided in primary schools is semiskimmed. Semi-skimmed milk has fewer calories and less fat than whole milk, and less vitamin A. But levels of other nutrients including protein, calcium, and vitamins such as vitamin B2 and B12 aren t reduced. Breaktime milk is also a good source of fluid to help beat thirst and keep children well hydrated. If children are dehydrated they can feel groggy and irritable and their memory and concentration suffer.

oh no... not that again! ideas for lunches they ll love...not trade! If your child is taking packed lunches to school, you might find that coming up with healthy ideas they ll enjoy is a challenge! So here s some help and inspiration... As an easy guide to getting the lunchbox balance right, include at least one item from each of the four main food groups, and save foods from the fifth, the fatty and sugary group, for an occasional treat: 1 Bread, rice, pasta, potatoes & other starchy foods 2 Meat, fish, eggs and beans 3 Fruit and vegetables 4 Milk and dairy foods It s a good idea to vary what you put in your child s lunchbox - that way their lunches will be more interesting and they'll be getting a wider selection of nutrients. But don t try too many new foods in the first few weeks of starting school - until they ve had time to settle in, stick to things you know they ll enjoy. Drinks: Swap high-sugar fizzy drinks and squashes for unsweetened fruit juice, smoothies, still or fizzy bottled water, milk (flavoured or plain) and yogurt drinks. A week of ideas: MONDAY: Cheese and salad sandwich on wholegrain bread Grapes and satsuma Slice of malt loaf Yogurt drink TUESDAY: Mini pitta pocket with egg salad Bottle of fizzy water Individual can of fruit pieces in juice Fromage frais WEDNESDAY: Tuna and sweetcorn pasta salad Fruit scone Apple Carton of flavoured milk THURSDAY: Slice of ham and pineapple pizza Yogurt Cherry tomatoes Carton of orange juice FRIDAY: Bagel with cream cheese and tomato Banana Box of raisins Carton of milk

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